Who Am I?
by rootedinjesus
Summary: When a hero forgets who he once was, he laments of this to an unlikely friend. A short little oneshot from a story idea I came up with on a spree. I don't know if I'll expand or not, as I really don't have enough details worked out for a full, original story. Rated T just to be safe.


Viridian City was a quiet town that was set almost to the farthest east in Kanto, only the Indigo Plateau being farther east than it. Indeed, it was through Viridian that young people with dreams of becoming a Pokemon master accessed this high point of a trainer's life. Aside from that, the city was relatively quiet, especially since the controversy over the city's gym was settled many years back by the legendary Pokemon Master known simply as Red. When he had ultimately defeated the leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni, the gym was shut down for a time until Red's old rival, known simply as Blue, started it up again. The gym was doing well now, and Blue was satisfied with his life. Red, on the other hand, hadn't been seen for many years.

In recent months, however, an old, run-down building close to the edge of town had been transformed into a small pub. A young man of about 25 ran the joint, claiming he was looking to make a good honest living. At first he was successful, until someone pointed out who he was: a former member of Team Rocket. Business had plummeted since then, and the man would've lost all hope were it not for one single customer who kept him alive. The irony was sickening to him.

The day was getting late, and the pub owner, James, decided to start closing up, as he expected no one to come. Putting his hat on top of his shoulder-length lavender hair and grabbing his coat, he started for the door.

"Closing already?"

He flinched. He knew that voice, but he quickly calmed down as he reminded himself that he was no longer at odds with the gravelly voice's owner. "Oh...uh...no," he stammered, turning back and hanging his hat and coat up. His customer was a young man of 22, who had unkempt, jet-black hair that was contained only by a primarily red hat on his head. He wore black, fingerless gloves accented by a dull silver at the wrists. He was well-kept for someone who lived out on the streets, though not in the slightest as well-kept as he kept himself when he was a traveller on the roads.

His eyes stuck out most of all to James: they were a warm, solid brown, occasionally changing to auburn, though they hadn't done that in a long time. James looked into those eyes and wondered once again where the passion, the love, the determination had gone. All there was now was...emptiness. He wondered if when he knocked on this young man's chest at the point where his heart would be, would he hear a hollow sound? Where had his heart gone?

"James?"

James shook himself. "Huh? Oh, sorry, Jessie, I missed that."

The young man raised an eyebrow. "Jessie? Uh, James...my name is Ash."

"Oh, right," James regained his composure, clearing his throat. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"I said I'll have the usual," Ash replied, smirking slightly at his friend's antics.

"Right," James nodded, turning to fulfill the request and apologizing for the third time. "I'm still getting used to not being a bad person. It's crazy, you know? I feel like I have to get to know life all over again, only this time, nobody trusts me." He sighed solemnly. "I'm all alone."

"No you're not," Ash assured him, sitting down at the counter. "You've got me, don't you?"

"Do I?" James looked at him anxiously as he filled a glass with some Miller Lite. "When we first 'met,' you said you didn't recognize me at all. After all this time, after all these years, I found that hard to believe, but you seemed so sincere."

"I was," Ash nodded. "I really don't remember anything between us beyond that."

"But weren't you offset when I told you that I had done terrible things to you?"

"No, I wasn't."

James was confused as he handed Ash his drink. "Why not?"

"Hey, let's get this straight here, bud," Ash leaned forward, taking it. "I don't remember anything at all. Everything beyond two months ago is just...blank. I don't know who you were beyond that, but you've more than proven yourself as a friend these past two months. You're honest, hard-working, and I can tell you just want to move on from the past."

James couldn't help but smile as he poured himself his own drink. "I appreciate your faith in me, but I doubt anyone could be a truer friend than you are." He looked down abruptly as he thought about what he had just said. "Or at least were...are becoming again?"

Ash looked down likewise. "Ugh...I really don't understand it. Everyone knows me, but I don't know anyone. They say I have a real name around these parts, and strangely enough I remember it: Ash Ketchum."

"Well, that's good."

"No, it's not," Ash slightly retorted as he sipped from his glass.

James was confused. "What do you mean? You remember, don't you?"

"Yes, but it's not the kind of remembering I'd like," he replied. "It's not like a piece of a billion-piece puzzle. It's more like...like…"

"Like what?" James pressed, sipping.

Ash heaved a sigh. "It's more like a nightmare. I walk around every day, knowing my name but not knowing who I am. It doesn't matter if I sleep or if I'm awake; I'm plagued by this fact. The only escape I have is drowning myself in Miller Lite, but I've tried that twice, and suffice to say, it just doesn't work. In fact, it makes me feel worse after I wake up again. Then I have this identity and a headache plaguing me."

James sighed somberly. "How grim. Is there anything else you can vaguely remember?"

Ash shuddered, closing his eyes in fright. "Just that...gruesome image…"

_Pikachu!_

He gasped as his eyes shot open. "Horrible," was all that fell out of his mouth.

"What?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, James. I can't help but feel like I've still got a friend out there somewhere who knows me better than anyone else, and he's in trouble, and –"

"You need to help him?"

Ash sighed. "Yeah. How did you know?"

James smiled a genuine smile. "I've known you for a long time. It's in your nature."

Ash couldn't help but return the smile, but it faded after a moment as his thoughts turned melancholy once again. "I just wish I could remember."

James nodded sympathetically, then turned towards his watch. "I'm sorry to kick you out, but it's closing time."

"It's all right," Ash smiled, handing him ten Poke-dollars. "It was good to talk to someone. Thanks, James." He then stood up and left.

"Of course," James nodded, pocketing the money as it would be awkward now to say the drink was on him. "It was good for me, too..._Ash_."


End file.
